TOON manager Joe Kinnear was recovering in hospital last night after falling ill hours before his team were due to play.

The 62-year-old Magpies’ boss was admitted to an undisclosed private hospital for precautionary checks after complaining of high blood pressure while staying at the Belfry Hotel in the West Midlands, where Newcastle United had travelled to play West Bromwich Albion.

After being examined by the club doctor, Joe was taken from the Sutton Coldfield hotel to a nearby private hospital for observation.

While caretaker boss Chris Hughton steered the Toon to a 3-2 win at The Hawthorns, Joe was undergoing a series of medical tests.

Doctors last night said they were happy with the test results but had decided to keep the manager in hospital for a further two days as a precautionary measure.

But — speaking from his hospital bed — Joe insisted he was fighting fit.

He said: “I would like to thank everyone who has been asking how I’ve been feeling.

“Although I missed the game I had my grandson giving me a commentary on the match.

“It was a great win for us and I told Chris well done and to pass on my congratulations to the players when he came to see me.”

Managing Director Derek Llambias added: “Joe was in good spirits and had been listening to the game all afternoon.

“In typical Joe fashion he was more concerned about the team’s win than himself . . . he was nice and relaxed and will hopefully be back home in a couple of days.”

It is the second health scare Kinnear has suffered ahead of a Premier League match.

Back in March 1999, while manager of Wimbledon, he suffered a mild heart attack ahead of the Dons clash with Sheffield Wednesday.

The scare prompted him to stand down three months later.

He didn’t return to Premier League football until 2004, when he took over as manager of Nottingham Forest at the age of 57.

In a revealing interview for the FA’s official website, he told how his health scare forced him to reevaluate his life.

He said: “I’m not allowed to drive to the pub every night . . . so I walk there.

“Years ago, managers would have packed it in at our age but it’s not just players who have benefited from better knowledge about health and diet.

“Since the heart attack, I’ve really begun to understand how to look after myself and as a result I feel fresh, revitalised and certainly able to cope with a job of this size.

“I have a walking machine and I do five miles on it every day. I don’t drink alcohol. There’s no reason my career won’t last for many years to come.”

A club insider agreed, saying Joe will be keen to return to St James’s.

He added: “As long as Joe feels OK and he has been cleared he’ll be back to get on with the job.”